give someone the heave-ho

verb

To fire, expel or break up with someone.

“I'm looking for work again because they gave me the heave-ho.”

Similar
give the axegive the elbowgive someone the boot
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Meanings

verbgive someone the heave-ho (third-person singular simple present gives someone the heave-ho, present participle giving someone the heave-ho, simple past gave someone the heave-ho, past participle given someone the heave-ho)

present singular third person gives someone the heave-ho · participle present giving someone the heave-ho · past gave someone the heave-ho · participle past given someone the heave-ho · alternative give somebody the old heave-ho

  1. UKidiomaticTo fire, expel or break up with someone.

    I'm looking for work again because they gave me the heave-ho.

    1 more example

    I accused her in set terms of giving me the heave-ho in order that she could mercenarily marry a richer man.

    1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter X

    Synonyms: give the axe, give the elbow, give someone the boot

  2. ball gamesTo eject a player or manager from the game.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo fire, expel or break up with someone.

Similar
give the axegive the elbowgive someone the boot
Also see
axediscarddischargedownsizefirelay offpink slipretrenchsack
Cite this entry
APA

give someone the heave-ho. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/give%20someone%20the%20heave-ho

MLA

“give someone the heave-ho.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/give%20someone%20the%20heave-ho. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “give someone the heave-ho,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/give%20someone%20the%20heave-ho.

Source: give someone the heave-ho on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.